Fiber Explorer

One of my very favorite things about working with fiber is that each project offers a chance for exploration. Different fibers, different sheep, different finishing techniques, different colors, and so much more all ensure that no two handmade projects are exactly alike.

For the past couple weeks I’ve been working on a deflected double weave project that I hope will eventually be published in Handwoven. You can see the first sample in my last blog entry. Since then I’ve woven a scarf, which was nice, but not “it.” Then we wound a new warp using a finer yarn and I’ve just finished a sample.

Yesterday I ordered some merino wool that is nearly 2.5 times as fine as the Jaggerspun Merino. We’ll see what happens with it. Amazing how I’ve been finding the time to do all this sampling. It really is fascinating. It’s that fiber explorer thing again.

So, are you a fiber explorer? You might be if:

Your hands itch (not from allergy) when you get near something fibery.

The smell of wet wool is tantalizing.

Dyepots call your name.

You can never knit a pattern according to the directions.

You make lumpy bumpy yarn and love it.

You spin super fine just because you can – not that you may ever use it.

You understand how to use the computer to develop a weaving pattern, but you really love getting on the loom and seeing what will happen.

You push the fiber limits: lumpy bumpy, collapse, felted/fulled, dyed, painted, knitted/dyed/unknitted/woven or knitted, you get the idea . . .

You find inspiration everywhere (gee, that rock is a pretty color, what a great colorway!; the man’s coat in front of me in line is really interesting and you simply have to touch it but you’d really like to take a photo; your cats fur inspires a spate of spinning; you buy banana fiber yarn just because it looks cool).

You see a gossamer shawl and know you can not only knit it but spin and design it.

You dream of fiber – whether you are awake or asleep.